Written by: Sheikh Mubashir Ahmad Rabbani (May Allah Preserve Him)
Na’eem Al-Mujmir narrates:
"I prayed behind Abu Hurairah (RA), and he recited ‘Bismillah-ir-Rahman-ir-Raheem,’ then recited Surah Al-Fatihah. When he reached ‘غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّآلِّيْنَ,’ he said ‘Ameen,’ and so did the people. Then he said ‘Allahu Akbar’ when he bowed, and ‘Allahu Akbar’ when he rose from bowing. When he prostrated, he said ‘Allahu Akbar,’ and when he finished the prayer, he said: ‘By the One in Whose hand is my soul, I am the closest to the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) among you.’"
[Sahih Ibn Hibban, Kitab al-Salah: Bab Dhikr Ma Yastahib Lil-Imam an Yajhar Bismillah... 1797; Sunan An-Nasa’i, Kitab al-Iftitah: Bab Qira’at Bismillah... 904]
Question:
Is it permissible to recite the complete Bismillah-ir-Rahman-ir-Raheem before Surah Al-Fatihah in Salah? Is there any authentic Hadith that supports this practice?Answer:
Yes, it is permissible to recite the full Bismillah-ir-Rahman-ir-Raheem before Surah Al-Fatihah in Salah, and there is authentic evidence supporting this practice.Na’eem Al-Mujmir narrates:
"I prayed behind Abu Hurairah (RA), and he recited ‘Bismillah-ir-Rahman-ir-Raheem,’ then recited Surah Al-Fatihah. When he reached ‘غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّآلِّيْنَ,’ he said ‘Ameen,’ and so did the people. Then he said ‘Allahu Akbar’ when he bowed, and ‘Allahu Akbar’ when he rose from bowing. When he prostrated, he said ‘Allahu Akbar,’ and when he finished the prayer, he said: ‘By the One in Whose hand is my soul, I am the closest to the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) among you.’"
[Sahih Ibn Hibban, Kitab al-Salah: Bab Dhikr Ma Yastahib Lil-Imam an Yajhar Bismillah... 1797; Sunan An-Nasa’i, Kitab al-Iftitah: Bab Qira’at Bismillah... 904]